Clover-buncher.



No. 674,8!3. Patented May 21, mm.

' T. s. PEARSON.

CLOVER BuNcHEn.

(Application filed Sept. 27, 1900.)

(No Model.)

el hfom eys NTTE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS S. PEARSON, OF OASSVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-FIFTHS TO DAVID J. TERRELL, OF KO KOMO, INDIANA.

CLOVER-BUNCHER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart Of Letters Patent No. 674,813, dated May 21, 1901.

Application filed September-27, 1900. Serial No. 31,323- (No model.)

To all whom it may conccrn: trail on the ground to clear t 1e rear side of the Be it known that I, THOMAS S. PEARSON, a platform and permit the clover to pass from citizen of the United States, residing at Oassthe platform, as will be understood. I provide ville, in the county of Howard and State of Insuitable bearings 8, which are secured on the 5 diana, haveinventedanew and useful Oloversickle-bar and extend rearward therefrom,

Buncher, of which the following is a specificaand in the said bearings is mounted a rocktion. shaft 9, which in practice is usually made of My invention is an improvementin buncha section of gas-pipe of suitable length. To ing attachments for mowingmachines, the the inner end of the said rock-shaft is securd IO object of my invention being to provide a ahand-lever 10. The head-bar2ofplatform 6b convenient and efficient attachment whereby 1 is disposed on the rear side of the rock-shaft hay or grass in being cut by a mowing maand connected thereto by suitable hinges, as chine can be deposited in bunches over the 'at 11. In the form of my invention here field as it comes from the machine instead of shown the said hinges 11 are metallic straps,

15 being distributed thinly over the surface of the rear ends of which are bolted on the bar the field, as is commonly done. To so bunch 2 and the front ends of which are bent around the grass is especially desirable in cutting the rock-shaft;butanysnitableform ofhinges clover where it is an object to save the seed, may be employed, and I do not limit myselfin in which case, as is well known, the clover this particular.

20 should be left in bunches and subject to the The lower ends of the holders 7 are conaction of the weather for a time, during which nected to the rock-shaft by rods 12, which opperiod it should be disturbed as little as poserate in the grooves 6 in the lower sides of sible. slats 3. A divider 13 is at the outer end of My invention consists in the peculiar conthe sickle-bar and has an inwardly'extending 25 struction and combination of devices hereinrearWardly-curved arm 14:, that serves to diafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the root the clover as it is out onto the platform claims. 1 and prevents it from moving laterally off In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is the outer side of the platform. It will be unan elevation, partly in section, of a bunching derstood that in the operation of my bunch- 0 attachment embodying my improvements, ing attachment the holders 7 will be turned showing the same attached to a mowing-mato the vertical position shown in Fig. 1 by the chine. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same. lever 10, rock-shaft 9, and rods 12, and that Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken on the when a sufficient quantity of the clover has line ct aof Fig. 2. Fig. lis a detail sectional been collected on the platform the lever 10 35 view of one of the slats, the holder pivoted will be turned rearward, thereby lowering the thereto, and the connecting-rod attached to holders 7 so that their upper ends trail on the said holder. ground, when the clover by frictional contact In the embodiment of my invention I prowith the ground will slide from the platform vide a platform 1, which is disposed in rear of and be left in a bunch on the field.

0 the sickle-bar of the mowing-machine. The Any suitable means may be employed for said platform comprises the head-bar 2 and connecting the rods 12 to the lower ends of the slats 3, which extend rearward therefrom the holders 7 and to the rock-shaft 9. In the and are preferably disposed on rearward-conform of my invention herein shown I provide verging lines. Each of the slats has its rear pins 15, which extend through the rocleshaft 45 end upturned, as at 4:, and bifurcated to form and have eyes 16 formed at their lower ends, 5 the ears 5, and in the under side of each slat is which engage eyes 17, formed atthe front ends a longitudinal groove 6. Between the ears 5 of connecting-rods 12. Asuitable fender-bar in the rear ends of the slats 3 are pivoted the 18 is secured on the slat 3 which forms the holders 7, which may be upturned to avertical inner side of the platform.

50 position or turned rearward and caused to It will be observed by reference to Fig. 2 too of the drawings that the slats 3 converge slightly rearwardly, and in practice this is the preferred manner in which said slats are disposed with relation to each other; but the said slats may be disposed at any suitable angle with relation to the head -bar and parallel with or at an angle to each other, if preferred, and I do not limit myself in this particular.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination with the sickle-bar of a mowing-machine, of a rock-shaft in bearings on said sickle-bar, a platform connected to the said rock-shaft and trailed in rear of the sickle-bar, said platform having rearwardextending slats, holders pivotally connected to the rear ends of said slats, rods connecting the lower ends of said holders to the said rockshaft, and a lever to turn the said rock-shaft in its bearings, and thereby operate the said holders, substantially as described.

2. Abunching attachment for mowing-machines, comprising a rock-shaft having bearings adapted to be secured on the sickle-bar of a mower, a lever attached to said rock-shaft, a trailing platform connected to said rockshaft and having rearwardextending slats, holders pivoted near their lower ends, to the rear ends of said slats and connecting-rods connecting the lower ends of said holders to the said rock-shaft, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS S. PEARSON.

Witnesses:

ABRAM MIDDLETON, G. W. JOHNSON. 

